On April 23, North Stonington Community Grange honored long-time Grange members and presented the 2010 Community Citizen Award. High Priest of Demeter Emeritus, Woodrow Tucker, and wife Marge were on hand to help present awards.

Tucker praised Gene and Alice Speck, recipients of their Golden Sheaf Certificates, for their many years of assistance with the Seventh Degree. Gene and Alice labored diligently for years, not only within our Grange, but also with the North Stonington Agricultural Fair.

Anita (Coats) Ames, Ellie Banker, Meredith Pappadia, Clarence Bradley and Mark Senior (for his dad, Dick) were also present to receive seals and reminisced about the fun at Grange in "the old days."

The Coats family through its history has been an active participant in North Stonington Community Grange. This year recognized for notable membership was Anita (Coats) Ames, a former Secretary of the Grange who represented Connecticut years ago at a National Grange Session part of a singing trio with Nancy Weissmuller, current Secretary; and Ames first cousin C. Thurlow Coats, Jr., who is a Past Master. They didn't win but placed high in the competition that year.

Ames sister, Audrey (Coats) Gruber, was not in attendance, but also earned a membership award.

Anita Ames' great grandfather George D. Coats, was the Grange's first Master when it was reorganized in 1908. Her father Ansel and her uncle Clifton T. Coats, Sr., were Masters in the 1930's. Other Coats family members were members besides those listed here.

The Bromley family has long been a cornerstone of North Stonington Community Grange. Gene Bromley holds the record for the number of terms as Master of North Stonington Community Grange and is still an officer and executive committee member. His sister, Meredith Pappadia was honored with a membership award.

Community Citizen recipient, Donald W. Howell, was praised for his dedication and service to the North Stonington Volunteer Fire Department. Howell is a past chief of the department. 43rd District Representative Diana Urban of North Stonington presented Howell with a citation from the General Assembly in recognition of his selection as North Stonington Grange's Community Citizen of the Year.